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MAMMOTH CAVE 


Is a great subterranean world, with starry 
firmament, dells and grottoes, pits and 
domes, mountains and rivers, cascades, etc. 
Temperature at all times, 54 degrees. The 
Cave has five different levels and 226 streets 
and avenues. Of this greatest of all caverns, 
more than 150 miles have been explored. 
Eternal darkness and stillness reign here 
supreme. 

A trip to Mammoth Cave means more 
than merely viewing one of the world’s 
greatest natural wonders. It means observa- 
tional education — affording scientific studies, 
indescribable scenes and thrills; pleasant 
visitation of lasting memory; a helpful va- 
cation of rest and recreation; and something 
to talk about the remainder of one’s life- 
time. The Cave is open all the year — ac- 
cessible to visitors^ — few or many. Greatest 
depth — 360 feet underground. 

A pathway from the Cave Hotel winds 
thru the garden, down amid the forest, 
crossing a wagon road that leads to Green 
River, and then brings us to the only known 
entrance to Mammoth Cave. The Cave 
mouth is seven hundred and thirty-five feet 
above sea level, one hundred and ninety- 
four feet above the level of Green River, 
and one hundred and eighteen feet below 
the crest of the overhanging bluff. The lime- 
stone stratum is three hundred and twenty- 
eight feet thick, measuring from the sand- 


stone above to the drainage level below; and 
within these limits all the vast labyrinth ex- 
tends its ramifications. One of the first 
things noticed by the visitor is the strong 
current of cool air that fiows from the Cave 
mouth, frequently too strong to allow the 
carrying of lighted lamps until a point is 
reached many yards within, where the gale 
dies away. As we descend the solid stone 
stairway we observe with pleasure a water- 
' fall that leaps from the ledge, gleams in the 
V sunlight, and vanishes amid the rocks on 
the floor. Around us hang festoons of vines 
and ferns, and before us is the noble vesti- 
bule to a temple of eternal night. An iron 
gate is unlocked for us, put there to prevent 
unpaid intrusion and vandal spoliation. Pass- 
ing thru, we bid farewell to daylight, and 
depended on the simple lamp given each of 
us by the guide. — Hovey. 


LOCATION 

Mammoth Cave is half a mile from Green 
River, near the main line of the Louisville 
& Nashville Railroad, in Edmonson County, 
Kentucky. It is about 90 miles from Louis- 
ville, 200 miles from Cincinnati, 188 miles 
from Evansville, and 96 miles from Nash- 
ville. 


Mammoth Cave Romance 


WILLIAM LEE POPHAM 

H 


DESCRIPTION BEING FROM THE AUTHOR'S 
OBSERVATION 


PRICE $1.00 



The World Supply Company 
Louisville, Kentucky 


Mayes Printing Company 
Louisville, Ky. 



Copyright 1911 
•WILLIAM LEE POPHAM 


* t> 






©CI.A3()3439 

Oxat, i , 



CHARACTERS: 

FRANKLIN LENTON 

MISS VIOLET THURMAN 

BARTO JAMISON 


BOOKS BY THE SAME AUTHOR 


Poems of Truth, Love and Power. 

Silver Gems in Seas of Gold. 

Nutshells of Truth. 

Love Poems, and the Boyhood of Kentucky's 
Poet. 

The Village by the Sea. 

The Valley of Love. 

Love’s Rainbow Dream. 

A Tramp's Love. 

She Dared to Win. 

SEVEN WONDERS OF THE WORLD 
SERIES (American). 

1. Mammoth Cave Romance. 

2. Niagara Falls Romance. 

3. Garden of the Gods Romance. 

4. Natural Bridge Romance. 

5. Yosemite Valley Romance. 

6. Yellowstone Park Romance. 

7. Washington Monument Romance. 

Distributed by 

THE WORLD SUPPLY COMPANY, 
LOUISVILLE, KY. 







Mammoth Cave Romance 













Mammoth Cave Romance 


It was a Jane morning when 
Franklin Lenton, with a number of 
tourists — strangers to each other, 
posed at the entrance to Mammoth 
Cave before the camera. With but 
rare exception, the photographer 
persuades each company oi visitors 
to assemble in a group, before their 
descent into the yawning cavern, 
and later a copy of the group may 
be purchased, at the option of each 
visitor. 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


Two years previously ‘ ‘ Frank- 
lin/^ as the story will name him, 
took Cave ‘‘Eoute No. 1,’’ and, ere 
finishing that visit, was summoned 
to his office in Louisville where he 
conducted a business in real estate. 

^‘Everybody smile and look 
pleasant,’’ shouted the photograph- 
er, but Franklin did not smile, and 
if he ^ looked pleasant,” he was far 
from feeling so. 

At this same spot, two years be- 
fore, Franklin had sat with a group 
of visitors before the same camera 
— beside Violet Thurman, a belle of 
Bowling Green, who was then 
12 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


‘‘sweet sixteen/’ and one of famed 
Kentucky’s fairest. This was the 
very spot where they first met. “I’d 
give heaven, were it mine, ’ ’ thought 
Franklin, “if Violet were only here 
now as then.” 

But Franklin had little time to 
think ere the company started, in a 
row by twos, down the stone steps 
into the open mouth of Mother 
earth — penetrating the silence of 
eternal night — amid the cool air of 
a strange world of thrill and won- 
der. Thru the iron gate they 
marched, swinging their lanterns — 
looking with awe-struck eyes upon 
13 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


the limestone walls, each thinking, 
as no one can describe, his own 
peculiar thoughts. 

Franklin lagged to the rear — to 
think — ^not of the natural wonders 
about him, but to think, at least for 
a moment, of Violet; for this visit 
had awakened old, but dear and 
tender memories — memories of 
when he first beheld her girlish 
face, when he had led her over 
queer and dangerous looking rocks, 
when she clung safely to his strong 
and willing arm, when they togeth- 
er emerged from the underground 
night into the summer sunlight, 


14 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


when they lingered by the road-side 
where the air was sweet with the 
breath of flowers — and alas! mem- 
ories of their parting, when she put 
a farewell letter into his hand — and 
left him standing alone. 

The letter, tho ’ written two years 
before — he repeats in his mind : 
‘ ‘ Dear Franklin, you must not meet 
me again. It is best for you that 
you do not; you will find it easier 
to forget me. Go to the throne of 
prayer and ask the power to forget, 
for I am too young to be wooed and 
won. And now, dear friend, for all 
the sympathy and friendship — ^yes 
15 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


— for all the love you have given me 
I thank you. You have the heart of 
a gentleman, the soul of a Christian 
man. I admire you — but lovers we 
must not be. The God you serve so 
faithfully, bless and keep you — and 
me. Good bye.’^ 

With the words of this old letter 
still lingering in his mind, Franklin 
proceeded with the company — on 
and on, where day-light has never 
dawned, and where no sunbeam has 
ever strayed to kiss away the night. 

Methinks that seeing, he saw not 
— and the guide’s many descrip 
tions of wonderful things were, to 


16 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


tMs lover, almost in vain; for he 
saw and thought only of Violet. 

After hours and miles of wander- 
ing hundreds of feet below the 
earth ^s surface, the company of 
‘^sight-seers’^ reached the light of 
day — and looking back upon the en- 
trance thru which they went and 
came, they observed the perpetual 
waterfall that leaps in small 
streams, into the Cave’s open 
mouth — and like a great mustache, 
the yawning mouth is garlanded 
with ferns and the greenest of liv- 
ing verdure. Franklin paused but 
little to look. He broke loose from 


17 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


the company — as if he desired to be 
alone. Crossing the wagon-road 
near the Cave entrance, he caught 
sight of a small, white kid glove ly- 
ing in the road. He stooped to get 
the glove which still retained, al- 
most perfectly, the shape of the 
hand that had worn it. He lifted 
the little glove as carefully as if he 
feared it might break or dissolve in 
his hand. To his great surprise, 
the inside of the glove, near the but- 
tons, bore in silk letters the name 
‘‘Violet.’’ He was suddenly struck 
with this interrogation : ‘ ‘ Can it be- 
long to the Violet I love so well?” 


18 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


He laid it flat upon his broad palm, 
and stood looking at it in a waking 
dream. He lifted it to his lips. A 
faint perfume reached him. He 
smoothed and patted the lifeless 
fingers till they lay unwrinkled in 
his hand. Like some guilty culprit 
he looked back but saw the company 
were still near the entrance at rest. 
Then looking high into the clear 
sky, he murmured something — per- 
haps it was a prayer. 

He began to reason as to the 
probable situation. He knew that 
no one would wear a white kid glove 
in the cave ; he almost knew that the 


19 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


Violet he loved would not be visit- 
ing the cave again — unless it might 
he with some friends. 

But the glove was there ; it came 
from a feminine hand — and that re- 
cently ; and the name it bore was. un- 
mistakably ‘‘Violet.^’ To him, how 
sweet the name ! 

A happy thought entered his 
mind. Perhaps its wearer had gone 
from the cave hotel along the wag- 
on-road, down to the river. This 
led to another conclusion — that she 
was in a carriage; for beside the 
wagon-road there ran a foot-path 
for those who walked. He paused a 
20 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


moment to decide as to the direction 
he would take to solve the mystery. 

Eemembering that dinner was to 
be served just after their return 
from the cave route, he hastened to 
the hotel, glancing anxiously at the 
groups of visitors while passing, 
and entered the dining-room. Of 
the abundance of dainty and whole- 
some viands placed before him he 
ate heartily — but whether he really 
enjoyed them — ^who shall say? 


21 


CHAPTER II. 


Franklin could see Violet no- 
where. His eyes searched the din- 
ing-room, verandas, lawns and 
groves — but in vain. Added to the 
exercise of his cave journey, was 
the exhaustion of his vain search. 
Physically weary, and mentally dis- 
quieted, he went to his room to rest 
awhile. Lying across the bed by 
the open window, he was soon 
asleep and dreaming. Thru the 
window of his dream the garden 
was like a romantic landscape — 
painted in gray and white and gold. 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


In his dream he saw the winding 
walks among massed shrubberies, 
the drooping willows, the sparkling 
fountains — and it all was reminis- 
cent of the Temple of Love — ^for in 
the vision he saw Violet, who beck- 
oned the dreamer. On the wings of 
dream, he fluttered to her presence 
among the sunlit glades and spread- 
ing shade. 

Beneath a dark archway of trees, 
she greeted him. The garden was 
large — and very beautiful. Togeth- 
er they strolled happily for a long 
while. The Temple of Love — ^yes — 
just so it had seemed when he first 


23 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


looked out upon it. Gazing into her 
eyes, he thought her the most beau- 
tiful person he had ever seen. So 
cunning and fair, so trustful and 
innocent, with the loveliest eyes, 
and a face as fair and blushing as a 
wild rose. He stood very near her, 
and she appeared even more beau- 
tiful thus closely seen. She looked 
at him with eyes that he seemed to 
know very well indeed. She smiled 
at him with, as it seemed, all her 
heart in her eyes. ‘‘May I take 
your handr^ he said. And in the 
dream it seemed the only natural 
thing to say. She answered with 


24 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


her small white hand extended. It 
was smooth and soft, warm in the 
palm and chill at the slender finger- 
tips. He held it gently, hut hesita- 
ted to tell her why he desired to 
hold it. Therein is found one rea- 
son why dreams are so beautiful — 
one has neither to define nor to ex> 
plain things. You may wander in 
beautiful gardens and it’s not tres- 
passing. You may go thru or- 
chards and gather the fruit and it’s 
not stealing. You may hold a hand 
like this — and it’s not forbidden. 
‘^But I want to kiss your hand. May 
If” This might be natural in a 
25 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


dream, but it’s unnatural when lov- 
ers are awake — for few girls say 
yes — even when they wish to grant 
your request. ^‘Why not?” she an- 
swered, with charming naivete. 

So raising her hand to his lips he 
kissed it. Their eyes met and the 
meeting was long — so long and so 
intimate that at last he moved to 
draw her to him. She drew back 
and breathed softly : ^‘No, no — not 
yet.” Now this is not so dream- 
like. ^‘But you love me?” he whis- 
pered. She didn’t say ‘‘yes.” No 
woman likes that word. Again their 
eyes met and their hands, and in his 


26 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


dream the scent of the jasmine 
amid the garden was heavy and 
sweet. If only the dream conld last 
forever! But it did not last — per- 
haps, a moment, for dreams are 
quick as the lightning flash. It 
broke up in confusion, as dreams 
will. He was awakened by the flood 
of June sunshine and the sound of a 
song-bird. 

‘‘Ye Gods! what a dream !^^ he 
exclaimed to himself. He rubbed 
his eyes and rising, bathed his face 
in cool water and rushed outdoors 
for a walk. 


27 


CHAPTER III. 


Franklin sat alone in the park 
near the hotel — also near the gate- 
entrance to the wagon-road. He 
took the little glove from his pocket 
and placed it to his cheek. Next 
he looked at the name so beantiful- 
ly marked in threads of silk, and ex- 
claimed as if talking to the trees, 
^^What an empty place this world 
is ! Even on a beautiful day in June, 
when love is like the flowers that 
blush and bloom unseen — unknown, 
and when you realize that youVe 
been led on by illusions, and that 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


everything has gone wrong. To 
Franklin the heavenly June day had 
lost its charm. The sunshine glim- 
mering across the lawn, the scent of 
Nature’s breath, the cool shade, the 
shadow of whose wings enfolded 
him, failed to soothe him. It irri- 
tated him even to hear the glad 
birds singing in the breeze-kissed 
trees. Life is out of harmony to the 
one who loves in vain. Sitting thus 
disconsolate, his attention was at- 
tracted by the noise of rolling 
wheels. He turned his head toward 
the wagon-road that led down the 
hill to the valley and beheld a car- 
29 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


riage filled with young people — 
headed for Green Eiver, a half mile 
below the cave hotel. The crowd in 
the carriage chatted and laughed. 
Amid the sounds of mirth and chat- 
ter, he heard a familiar voice which 
struck his heart like an arrow shot 
from cruel hands. Magic-like his 
searching eyes found in the crowd 
the owner of the familiar voice. It 
was Violet Thurman who with 
friends and kinsfolk was again vis- 
iting the Cave. He started to wave 
his hand — but it semed paralyzed. 
She turned her face toward where 
he sat. Her flashing eyes seemed to 


30 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


melt his throbbing heart. The 
laughing party, loaded with flowers 
gathered from the fields, clattered 
by, and Franklin, with lifted head 
and choking throat, still sat — as if 
unable to move. His love-keen eyes 
picked her unmistakably from the 
others. While he still looked, she 
turned her face, and lifting her eyes, 
looked straight into his very own! 
Then with a kindly smile, she drop- 
ped some flowers into the road — 
just below the gate. The carriage 
was departing slowly down the hill. 
He saw something fall from her 
hand — and caught himself trem- 


31 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


bling in every limb. Their happy 
voices yet lingered on the still air. 

Later, when the crowd had dis- 
appeared and their voices had been 
swallowed in the silence, he walked 
down the path to the gate; and 
there, in the dust of the road, he 
found a bunch of wild, white roses! 
With something like a sob he knelt 
and gathered them up, pressing the 
cool petals to his lips. Like the 
pounding of a gigantic hammer to 
his brain he remembered she al- 
ways favored white roses! Was it 
by accident they had been dropped 
— or was it ? 


32 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


‘‘They must have fallen unno- 
ticed from her arms.’’ He exclaimed 
to himself over and over again as he 
stood there caressing the flowers. 
“Surely she could not have meant 
them — for me.” 

And yet, in a deep recess of his 
heart he reasoned that Violet had 
dropped them, and knew of it, and 
that they were her gift. So he very 
tenderly carried the roses back to 
his room and put them in a bowl on 
the table. 

‘ ‘ She will be at the hotel for sup- 
per,” he decided. He hardly knew 
what to do. Tears almost came to 


33 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


his eyes. He wanted to sit in medi- 
tation. Again, he wanted to run 
and shout. Why, the whole world 
must have changed in one hour! 
What miracle could have been 
greater ? Finally he knelt and kissed 
the bowl of flowers. They still kept 
fresh, as if to cheer him. He hur- 
riedly donned some fresh laundry 
in preparation for supper. 

Luckily, Franklin found Violet in 
the dining-room, ate at her table — 
and her smile of gratitude well paid 
him for the return of the lost glove. 


34 


CHAPTEE IV. 


It was after supper when Frank- 
lin and Violet were together — alone. 
All the fragrance of the flowers 
seemed to enfold them as they stood 
in the wagon-road ; the great boughs 
waved a welcome to them ; the 
nightingale was singing, and the 
lovely, solemn night — with its 
sweet, brooding silence, seemed lis- 
tening. 

A moonlight night! And such a 
moon, sailing so round, bright and 
clear thru the blue sky — a thousand 
stars attending her! A moon that 

35 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


shamed the garish light of day, for 
its beams fell like a flood of molten 
silver over the peaceful earth. 

All the prosaic humdrum of 
every-day life had disappeared. 
The moonlit fields seemed glorified. 
The western wind was sweet with 
the balmy breath of blossoms. The 
rustling of the green boughs, the 
scent of the dew-kissed flowers, the 
grace of the nodding trees were all 
suggestive of the sweetness and 
fairness of fairyland. 

^^Two Junes have passed since 
we met, ’ ’ said Franklin, ^ ^ and every 
day since, I have longed for a meet- 
36 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


ing such as this/’ Violet made no 
reply — so he continued: ‘‘You were 
sixteen then — perhaps too young to 
accept my courtesies, but that ob- 
stacle should not hinder us now.” 
She listened well and silently. They 
had come now to a spreading shade 
flecked here and there with bits of 
silver moonlight, while the airy, 
graceful shadows danced over 
moss-grown rocks. The moonlit 
land lay fair and smiling while he 
talked : “Violet, my message is not 
a secret — I love you, and I want you 
to hear the words from my very 
lips — I love you still!” 


37 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 

While they sat there on a moss- 
covered stone, the nightingale 
poured out the story of her love and 
sorrow. Violet turned to him to 
speak. Surely the moon had never 
shone upon a face so fair, so pure, 
so tender. Those eyes raised to his 
were lustrous and — perhaps — full 
of love. 

‘‘I like to hear you talk,^^ she re- 
sponded, speak on.^’ Whoever it 
was that said that woman ^s 
tongue is longest,^’ was in error 
when it comes to courtship — if not 
all the time. A woman ^ ‘makes 
love^’ with her smile and eyes. “I 


38 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


think this place was created for lov- 
ers/’ he said — ‘‘a place like this is 
so inviting, inspiring, suggestive.” 
He was smiling — a smile that was 
tender and pleading, and yet withal, 
a little roguish, perhaps — when he 
continued : ^ ^ That which I have to 
otfer you on this lovely June night, 
is a gift — of all gifts most divine. 
It hasn’t wings — ^Violet — and it 
doesn’t soar out of sight in the blue 
heavens singing an angelic song. 
On the contrary, it plods — some- 
times clumsily, along the humble 
earth, and sometimes it even crawls, 
but always in the right direction — 


39 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


or as nearly the right direction as 
the diJBficnlties permit.’’ 

Violet,” he added, ^^do yon 
know what this ^ gift ’ is ?’ ’ Instant- 
ly the girl’s face crimsoned — and 
looking down, she conld only mur- 
mur, after the manner of girls from 
time immemorial — ‘‘I — don’t — 
know.” But she did know, aye, 
even as an ass knoweth the way to 
the master’s crib. As the flood of 
witching moonlight fell upon her 
trim and perfect figure so beauti- 
fully and tastefully gowned, and 
she so coyly answered his tender 
pleading, he realized that memory 


40 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


had not done half justice to her 
glorious beauty. 

Suddenly all control slipped from 
him, and forgetful of the dictates of 
prudence and decorum and of all 
things else than that she sat by his 
side, he leaned over and drew her 
almost savagely to his wildly throb- 
bing breast as he murmured words 
of tenderest devotion. He was not 
conscious of how he gathered her 
within his strong arms. He stood 
just where the soft light beamed 
upon his face, which revealed as 
never before, the great strength of 
his loving and loyal heart. Visions 


41 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


of happiness greater than he had 
ever known came before him. 

After he had pressed his hungry 
lips against her rosy lips, she drew 
away. Protested — but ^ ^ after. ’ ^ 
^^You must not do that,’^ she cried. 
But he only laughed — laughed in a 
way he had never done during the 
two long, endless, heart-craving 
years. 

At last he calmed himself to say : 
‘^Only heaven knows how I love 
you.^^ She glanced at him with 
swift admiration — and glanced 
away before he saw her. She col- 
ored deeply. 


42 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


‘‘It is growing late,’’ she ven- 
tured, “and we must go.” Reluc- 
tantly he obeyed. The rather long 
and rugged walk back to the hotel 
seemed very short. But even thorns 
in “lover’s lane” are hut flowers. 


CHAPTER V. 

Another June morning — and they 
were walking — ^just Franklin and 
Violet. Their last day together at 
the Cave — and heaven smiled pro- 
pitiously. The pretty places where 
they rambled are too many to tell — 
but the beauties of Nature beamed 


43 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


upon them everywhere. Walking 
together like two rhymes in the 
same verse — they moved slowly, af- 
ter the fashion of lovers. All of 
what they said, we do not know — 
what they thought, we know less. 
The sunbeams lighted up the fresh, 
coloring of her face and hair to 
wonderful advantage. With tem- 
per so sweet, disposition so child- 
like and gentle — she thought it a 
heavenly morning — and it was. And 
he was very attractive — for a man. 
She watched him closely; saw his 
white even teeth when he smiled; 
saw in his white cuffs the glint of 


44 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


gold; noted the polish and cleanli- 
ness of his nails ; the smoothness of 
his recently-cut hair — and the man- 
ly breadth of his shoulders. But 
women are close observers — espe- 
cially if they are interested. They 
could see a hen^s teeth without her 
cackling. The very look from Vio- 
let’s observing eyes gripped the 
heart-strings of the man, and 
turned his soul to song. There was 
a softness, a beauty, a restfulness 
about her look which were singu- 
larly soothing to him. Nearby a 
humming bird darted, now at a 


45 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


rose, now almost disappearing in 
the heart of a crimson trumpet. 

As they sat there talking, close to 
the very heart of nature, he spoke 
to her very tenderly, and when she 
raised her white face to his, what 
he read therein startled him. ‘‘Do 
you care so very much for meV^ 
she asked. “I? Care for you? Oh, 
Heaven! Care for you! Why, I love 
you — love you madly!’’ “I am 
very sorry,” Violet replied tender- 
ly, “I have not sought your love — 
I discouraged you from the first 
hour we met — why do you love 
me?” He seemed puzzled. “How 
46 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


can I help itV^ he cried, ‘‘who is 
there like yon? Who is so good, so 
pure, so beautiful, so queenly? How 
can I help it?’’ 

She was only human, young and 
untried — no wonder such sweet 
words flattered her. As he raised 
her hand to kiss it, she offered no 
resistance. Then a good impulse 
came to her, and she drew her hand 
from him, thinking to speak to him 
gravely and wisely — she would tell 
him that if he loved her so madly, it 
would not be wise for them to meet 
again — that they must part, and in 
time he would forget her and be 
47 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


happy; she would speak gentle 
words of kindly wisdom to him, and 
tell him they must soon part for- 
ever. All this she did tell him — and 
even more. Pained and silent he 
sat until she ceased to speak and 
then he said; ‘‘I cannot live with- 
out seeing you at least now and 
then. I cannot compel you to love 
me — but I will love you forever, 
even if my love be vain* I would 
rather love you, and see you once a 
year, than love another and see her 
always. ’ ^ 

For an instant the girl lowered 
her eyes, while a vivid wave of col- 
48 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


or swept over her face. A moment’s 
silence and then she replied : 

‘^But, Franklin, yon have no 
right to love me so, and yon mnst 
not.” He looked for a moment into 
the sweet, tender eyes lifted to his, 
then dropped his head in silence. 
Had she looked, she conld have seen 
a tear, bnt she tnrned her head 
away. It is too sad to write — to tell 
how a rose dies, how a lily fades, 
how a wild bird pines for its nnan- 
swering mate, bnt harder still to 
trace the poignant arrow into a 
pnre sonl, or to tell how a star falls 
from heaven. His hope grew pale. 


49 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


and the wings of song and peace 
flew from out his sonl. But after 
awhile she let him kiss her hand 
again — willingly. ‘‘I didn^t mean 
to hurt you/^ she said sweetly — 
‘‘and you must not be sad any 
more.^^ 

Might this be a ray of hope or the 
straw for a drowning man? His 
hope was more crimson-tinted now. 
With one impulse they rose and be- 
gan a farther stroll to enjoy the 
glorious sunshine and scenery. He 
held her arm now and then — per- 
haps to help her along, but “per- 
haps.^’ The natural beauty of their 


50 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


pathway was soul-expanding — al- 
ways inspiring to those ^‘who, in 
the love of Nature, hold communion 
with her visible forms.’’ 

The sunbeams that sifted thru 
the thickness of the virgin forest, 
dotted the ground with specks of 
gold. 

In the dewy morning, sunny noon 
or shadowy evening, the broad 
acres around them must have re- 
sembled much the original Eden. 
Tall sycamores, chestnuts, poplars 
and oaks like tall giants stood lift- 
ing their waving tops heavenward. 
Lover-like, they strolled slowly on 


51 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


and on beneath bended boughs fes- 
tooned with clinging vines, clumps 
of pawpaw, spice-wood, with here 
and there a group of the Judas-tree 
and dogwood. 

The undergrowth of bushes, 
moss-beds, fairy-like ferns and 
hazel thickets conspire to prevent 
human intrusion into the forest’s 
virgin depths. There are said to be 
four thousand sink-holes and five 
hundred known caverns in the coun- 
ty in which Mammoth Cave hath 
wrought its giant home. The larg- 
est sink-hole is known as Eden Val- 
ley, along whose verdant expanse 
52 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


winds the county road. In size, it 
contains about two thousand acres 
— wherein are found many small 
and fertile farms, dotted with 
patches of virgin forest, and with 
here and there a limpid pool mir- 
roring the over-arching sky. While 
this gigantic sink-hole may seem im- 
possible, it will be more easily com- 
prehensible if we try to imagine a 
two-thousand-acre valley, the bot- 
tom of which having dropped a few 
feet — leaves a sufficient incline 
around same to serve as a sort of 
fence. 

Perhaps this enormous depres- 


53 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


sion was made by the forming of a 
series of caverns beneath its bor- 
ders. 

Filled with the very joy of 
living, the young couple continued 
their walk — enchanted with new 
scenes, along the border of Eden 
Valley, across foot-paths, past vari- 
ous trees and wild flowers. The 
old-fashioned roses and honey- 
suckles, sweet and fragrant, per- 
fumed the air of that June morning 
for our lovers to a degree that nei- 
ther had ever known before. 

Occasionally a cloud veiled the 
sun, and the light on earth was soft 
54 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


and dim. Violet scanned the visible 
stretches of clouds and pictured 
fair islands on the outer walls of 
heaven. But to Franklin, the sky 
was empty as the desert of Sahara. 

He was thinking intently. He 
looked at her, conscious of her 
sweet, youthful charm, and realized 
that she was about to slip away 
from him indefinitely — the minor 
conversation seemed to fall away, 
and he became daring. But what 
should he say? — what do? 

At last he spoke : am not weak, 

Violet, and it is not weakness to say 
that my love cannot let you go.’’ 


55 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


“No, you are not weak,’’ she re- 
plied, “that’s what I call strength, 
a strength and a tenacity that all 
women admire in those who would 
win their love. ’ ’ 

He looked at her amazedly. Was 
there ever a man who understood 
woman! 

“You are such a girl and only 
such as I should want to make my 
wife,” he said — and was longing to 
have her within his arms, her soft, 
warm lips caressing his while she, 
with glowing eyes and languorous 
voice, would murmur all sorts of 


56 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


foolish, meaningless, but thrilling 
love speeches. 

She tossed her head and smiled 
mischievously, saying little, as is the 
wont of woman when a pleading 
lover sits at her feet. She only 
soothed him with her smile. The 
sun came out to greet them again. 
The landscape, the sunbeams and 
the breeze brought out all their nat- 
ural youthful gaiety. The richness 
of the sky — the loveliness of their 
pathway led them on. 

They stopped to rest again. He 
must have whispered something 
strange in her ear. The stillness of 


57 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


utter solitude shut out the world 
and held them awed and motionless. 
There was a quiet dignity and still- 
ness about the valley, a gentleness 
which made it seem the natural out- 
growth of its shady isolation. In 
this valley was an ideal spot to for- 
get the past — and dream of the fu- 
ture. The hours passed. They kept 
no account of the time — what lovers 
do? Here it seemed that one could 
linger in the peacefulness of this 
solitude forever — where care and 
sorrow and worldly strife it seemed 
could surely never enter. They still 
lingered — forgetful in their sweet 


58 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


content. He seemed to think that 
this ramble meant the beginning of 
a long parting, and the strangeness 
of it all sent his thoughts leaping 
into realms he had never known be- 
fore. His tenderness and sadness 
blended with her haunting sweet 
ness. Now she talked — ^he alone 
knew what she said. The sweet 
tones of her voice — low and full of 
the charm of liquid accents, rang in 
his attentive ear. The shadow of a 
cloud again crept over the valley — 
dimmed the green hills, while a mul- 
titude of birds fluttered from tree to 
tree, and hill to grove. 


59 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


As he replied to Violet his every 
word betrayed his love. She bowed 
her head in silence — fearing to 
trust herself with speech. He 
talked of things very lovely — in a 
clear way that conies natural to the 
man with the clear-thinking mind. 
She beamed with pleasure while he 
talked, and occasionally uttered a 
word of protest — ^but the tone of his 
musical voice quieted her. The cool 
greenness seemed listening too. Ob- 
serving her yet more closely as he 
talked on, he felt a response of love 
from her womanly heart. How long 
they strolled — and what time they 
60 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


came back to the cave hotel, need 
not be told here. 

Next day they parted — she going 
to her home in Bowling Green, he 
to his home and business in Louis- 
ville; parted with a mutual agree- 
ment to correspond. 


CHAPTEE VI. 

The way in which Franklin 
moved about in his office showed 
him to be a busy man. He was char- 
acterized by neatness and exact- 
ness. He set his hat straight upon 
his head, no unsightly wrinkle was 


61 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


permitted in his trousers. No dust 
was allowed to accumulate upon his 
desk. Many other things, too, he 
tabooed which some so-called re- 
spectable men allow. He furnished 
his office with a dark mahogany 
desk to match the chairs, a wood- 
colored rug to match the walls and 
even engaged a brunette stenogra- 
pher to match the color of his roll- 
top desk. He could write checks 
without figuring on the stub of his 
check-book to see whether or not he 
was overdrawing his bank account. 
As a real estate broker, he was as 
shrewd as a professional horse- 


62 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


trader, but lacked that tricky gen- 
tleman’s inclination to ‘^do” the 
other fellow. Meditating on the 
snug little fortune which he had ac- 
cumulated — and greatly encour- 
aged by a big real estate deal he 
had just ‘‘put thru” at a net profit 
of some twenty thousand dollars, it 
occurred to Franklin Lenton that a 
certain matter which had long been 
deferred in the excitement of his 
rush for wealth and place should be 
attended to at once. He had kept in 
touch with Violet in a friendly sort 
of way, for she had never flattered 
him with a frank confession of her 


63 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


love. Still, her response to his woo- 
ing, he considered sufficient grounds 
upon which to build a castle of hope. 
It was his custom to visit Bowling 
Green monthly on ‘^real estate bus- 
iness’’ whether he had any business 
there or not. On such occasions he 
never failed to ‘^drop in” and pay 
Violet a call at her home. Since 
their visit to the Cave, he had sent 
her an occasional box of candy and 
flowers — ^but had refrained from 
‘‘popping the question.” 

Nevertheless, the continued rank- 
ling of Dan Cupid’s dart in the re- 
gion of his fifth rib, kept urging him 


64 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


again to try Ms fate, remembering 
that 

^^He either fears his fate too much 
Or his deserts are small, 

Who dares not put it to the touch. 
To gain or lose it all/’ 

He often thought that he hadn’t 
acted with even horse-sense in 
showing his affection so plainly and 
suddenly during their cave visit — 
for he learned that Violet was not 
demonstrative. Henceforth, he de- 
cided, he would be more sane and 
considerate. But he now felt that 
the crucial time had come, for every 
day Violet grew dearer to him — 


65 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


more intensely desirable. Now, for 
the first time in his business career, 
he felt that he was financially able 
to support a wife and a home in 
both style and comfort. 

In the joy of his youth, his 
strength and his manhood he was 
now ready really to live — to take 
unto himself the woman of his 
choice. 

The joy of his money or wealth 
lay not so much in the money itself 
as in the making of it and in the 
fighting of the battle for its own 
sake — its excitement, and most of 
all for Violet. Night after night. 


66 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


after leaving Ms busy office and sit- 
ting in the solitude of his cosy room, 
he would pause in his meditation — 
lean back in his favorite chair and 
dream — sweet, rose-tinted dreams — 
of Violet. Not of Violet, single as 
she was at the Cave — but as a state- 
ly, affectionate Violet in all the 
crowning glory of a silk breakfast 
gown, presiding over their new 
home, as its real queen. And per- 
haps, alas! oh cruel thought! com- 
plaining of the servant problem! 
Dear little girl ! She had led such a 
lonely life — ^without brother or sis- 
ter to cheer her in her loneliness. 


67 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


What a relief it would be to her! 
How she would dream and blossom 
and smile when they were just alone 
— in their made-to-order home! Of 
his past struggles and worries and 
heartburnings much might be writ- 
ten, but why think of the gloomy 
past ? As he would sit thus musing 
and happy in the conscious pride of 
his ability to bring about so happy 
a condition, he used to wonder 
whether she would love him all the 
more when she discovered how he 
had, unarmed, entered the lists and 
fought his way up to the seats of 
the mighty, and all, or chiefly, be- 


68 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


cause lie loved her. He smiled as he 
thought of his early poverty, but it 
was the smile of victory. 

In his more quiet moods he 
seemed a little too grave, too seri- 
ous, for a man of twenty-eight. Na- 
ture in moulding him had, perhaps, 
instilled some taint of the primor- 
dial man, which manifested itself in 
an irresistible desire to take with- 
out asking, to count a victory be- 
fore the fight. It was enough that 
he wanted Violet. It seemed to him 
as if she must surely understand. 
He had hesitated to press too eager- 
ly his suit until he had something 

69 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


more than his heart to offer. And 
so he had crowded his love away in- 
to the recesses of his man’s sonl, 
supremely confident that when the 
time came for him to bring it forth, 
Violet would recognize it, accept it 
and love him in return. 

So tonight, thinking the matter 
over, Franklin Lenton decided that 
he was privileged to speak and to 
ask Violet to share his love and for- 
tune. 

He resolved to write the letter of 
proposal at his desk on the morrow. 
Now that the crisis of his conscience 
had passed, his problem solved, and 


70 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


burden gone, a blithe young man 
was he. Buoyant he went to his of- 
fice next morning wearing a pink 
carnation in his lapel and with a lilt 
in his heart. The first delivery of 
mail lay on his desk, a large creamy 
envelope, conspicuous among the 
heap. The handwriting was that of 
Violet. Quite naturally, he opened 
it first. 

It was an invitation to attend her 
marriage to one Mr. Barto J amison 
— a farmer near Bowling Green. 
Franklin sat at his desk and stared 
closely at the unwelcome sheet, his 
face changing color and his heart 
71 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


throbbing painfully. Eemembering 
that be was a gentleman be re- 
strained a momentary impulse to 
‘‘cuss.^’ Then be wanted to cry. 
Again be wanted to — die. But be 
did neither. Being a man be was 
saved from hysterics, but bis soul 
was indeed in troubled waters. ’Tis 
a rare pen that can adequately de- 
scribe bow love dies, bow hope 
fades, bow aspiration fails, bow a 
heart flutters and pines, bow a rosy 
face grows pale — or a mocking bird 
with lost voice or dove with a 
broken wing. 

He remembered meeting ‘‘Mr. 

72 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


Bar to Jamison’^ once, an over- 
grown country yonth with ‘‘stingy 
trousers, and a sunburned face, 
with a tendency to pimples. He re- 
membered him because of having 
seen him once at Violet ^s gate, 
“grinning her good bye.^’ He re- 
membered his five and seven- 
eighths head, with its shock of yel- 
low hair, parted in the middle. 
Franklin seldom indulged in self- 
pity, but he did feel sorry for Vio- 
let. He could take his defeat like a 
man, could swallow the pill without 
cider, if he could but feel assured 
that “Mr. Barto Jamison’^ was a 


73 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


responsible, eigbteen-karat speci- 
men of manhood, fit to be trusted 
with such a treasure as Violet. 

Leaning back in his office ‘ ^ chair, 
of business and of dreams,’’ he pic- 
tured ‘‘Mr. Barto Jamison” on his 
own little farm — driving a white 
mule or killing potato bugs ! 

“The little scalawag!” muttured 
Franklin. “I think I’ll kill him. 
You poor little girl, Violet — ^you 
dear little girl ! To think of you ty- 
ing yourself up for life with a long, 
slim, flimsy rabbit that smokes 
cigarettes, and chews gum to keep 
time with the clock ; who grins when 


74 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


lie wants to laugh and hasn’t brains 
enough to grease a gimlet or the 
sense to pick a goose or ring a bell 
in a boarding house. Brother Jam- 
ison, you irresponsible specimen of 
breeches-wearing biped, I wish you 
luck! But if I ever catch you far 
out in some lonely valley, with no- 
body near to hear you bark. I’ll cer- 
tainly make Mrs. Jamison a wid- 
ow.” 

It will be seen that the disap- 
pointed and disgusted Franklin 
temporarily lost his Sunday School 
religion. It never occurred to him 
that ‘‘love is blind”; that a woman 
75 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


might consider love first and the 
problem of existence afterward ; 
that fools rush in — and win — where 
angels fear to tread. Now that to 
him she was unattainable, she 
seemed all the more lovable. He 
really conldn^t blame ‘‘Mr. Barto 
Jamison’’ for loving her. He mar- 
veled that Jamison should have the 
nerve to marry her, with his little 
thimble-full brain box and no more 
assets than a white mule, a garden- 
farm and “stingy trousers.” 

It seemed to Franklin quite as 
ridiculous as yoking together a 
pole-cat and a young fawn or a buz- 


76 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


zard and a dove ‘Hill death do us 
part/’ To think that in the glori- 
ous years to come, sweet little Vio- 
let would droop and fade into a dis- 
appointed household drudge, a mere 
yoke animal, shattering her life and 
her ideals with uncongeniality. 
This, to our hero, was as wormwood 
and gall. Indeed, it seemed to 
Franklin as if a queen were living 
with a man who knew only how to 
slop hogs — and if perchance his 
fortunate rival might rise from the 
farm, would possibly carry a pencil 
behind his ear and chew gum. 

Franklin resolved to forget all 
77 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


quickly. Work was the medicine for 
him. He didn’t write Violet a let- 
ter of congratulation — ^but immedi- 
ately ordered a couple of fine, easy 
rocking chairs — elegant rockers of 
grained oak and solid leather, the 
handsomest he could find. In giv- 
ing the order he was careful to em- 
phasize the date on which they must 
be shipped — and knowing the re- 
liability of the firm, he felt quite 
satisfied. He envied ‘‘the long-leg- 
ged rabbit” occupying one of the 
chairs — ^but was consoled with the 
thought that little Violet — the poor 
young thing, could have many a rest 
78 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


in the other one. Perhaps ‘ ^ rabbit ’ ^ 
would have nothing but split-bottom 
chairs, and Franklin indulged in 
some self-praise over his selection 
of the wedding present. 

‘‘I have been a fool,’’ thought 
Franklin, ‘^but when I dance, I also 
pay the fiddler.” 

A few days had passed — and 
Franklin failed to forget Violet as 
he had hoped and resolved to do. 
The setting sun would entice him to 
one of Louisville’s beautiful parks, 
where he went to enjoy the coolness 
and solitude, and would sit for 
hours looking upon the landscape 


79 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


and admiring the western sky. In 
his loneliness he would sit and med- 
itate, scarcely forgetting for an 
hour the face of his lost Violet, in 
whom he realized he had lost for life 
a rare and precious jewel, the like 
of which he felt he could never find 
again. In the park he would sit 
far into the night. The moon shines 
on many tragedies, perhaps none 
sadder than the unhappy love of 
those who love and are not loved in 
return. Often his meditation was 
like a tragic dream. Once it had 
been so sweet to think of living with 
Violet in a new home. Yes, those 
80 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


weak castles in the air were beauti- 
ful ones — like rare clouds, too beau- 
tiful to last. Then he remembered 
that once, earth and heaven had met 
in their kiss by the wagon-road. 
But alas ! it had changed to the ser- 
pent ’s hiss. He had lived with her 
in dream — now to suffer without 
her, even never to see her smile, 
never to hear her enchanting voice, 
never to behold her girlish face — 
unless to look upon it as that of an- 
other man’s wife! 

He had given every thought of 
his heart to her. To him there was 
no one so sweet, so good as she; all 


81 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


the heroines of whom he had ever 
read in books were not to be com- 
pared with Violet. He liked to pon- 
der over every kind and tender 
word he had ever heard her speak, 
over every responsive look — surely 
a strange and a futile way to for- 
get! The end of it all was a pas- 
sionate idolizing of her very name, 
and a love not surpassed by the an- 
gels in heaven — ^where marriage is 
neither known nor desired. He 
arose and went down to a little 
brook, whose babbling voice seemed 
to call him to its grassy bank. From 
a nearby bush he broke off a spray 


82 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


of wild roses, caring not that to do 
so was against the rules of the park. 
What cared he for rules? He held 
the roses a moment, then threw 
them into the water, and as he 
watched the ripples full of broken 
light he half wished that he could 
float away with them to the distant 
sea. At times he imagined her pic- 
ture in the moon-lit clouds, and 
would pause to look for one brief 
moment into that face that had been 
his star on earth. The desolation, 
the sense of loss, the keen, sharp 
pain, the unutterable longing haunt- 
ed him like a tormenting demon. 

83 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


Just to see her — ^just to call her his 
own for a single moment and hear 
her say that she loved him, and he 
felt he would almost be willing to 
fall dead at her feet. Yet that sen- 
tence, filled with so much of joy or 
of tragedy, was never spoken — ex- 
cept by her eyes and smiles. How 
potent over all the earth is love — 
even when unspoken ! Oft he would 
talk to the sky — and pause as tho’ 
waiting for an answer. It was piti- 
ful to see the quivering of his white 
face and the trembling outstretched 
hands. Once he wandered like a 
sleeping man in a walking-dream. 


84 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


Once — only once more, to look on 
the face lie loved so well — once 
more to hear her voice and then to 
die. He walked amid the soft 
gloaming, a fragrance resting on 
the earth and filling the air with 
sweetness. He could almost feel 
the forming of the dew and hear the 
whisper of the wind as it moved the 
trees. But he must wake from his 
madness — ^he must put aside his 
dreaming and learn to live without 
her. Ah, if those who sutfer would 
seek strength from Heaven — ^would 
lean on the arm of the One who 
said: ^^Come unto me all ye that 


85 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


labor and are heavy laden, and I 
will give yon rest. ’ ’ But he trusted 
in his own insufficient strength. He 
was like one whose soul was asleep. 
Perhaps he had loved unwisely, had 
gone on in a blissful dream, from 
which it seemed there was no 
awakening. Ah! that every young 
person could learn that it is best 
and wisest to keep the heart in his 
or her own bosom — well under con- 
trol until prudence says, ‘4et it 
go. ’ ’ But the stars rise and set, the 
leaves flourish and fade, the flowers 
bloom and die, the tide ebbs and 
flows, and no season passes but in 


86 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


some beautiful, young life the fair 
star of Prudence falls from the 
heart’s heaven to cruel earth. If 
the stars and the skies, and the 
great solemn trees that look on so 
many tragedies, could speak with 
warning voices, think you that lov- 
ers would stop to think and heed? 
But even in his sorrow Franklin 
was true and good — and at last 
prayerful. 

He realized that this side of the 
grave there are few mistakes with- 
out remedy. Angel spirits seemed 
to encourage him and in his very 
weakness he became strong. He 
87 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


knelt in the grass to pray. The 
words he used I know not — except 
he called Violet’s name. But God, 
in his mercy, heard every word. He 
asked for power and grace from 
heaven to hear his burden, and 
claimed the Divine promise. He 
might have done it sooner. The 
silence of night was broken only by 
the song of the nightingale, the 
ripple of a brook — and a lover’s 
prayer. The little brook singing 
thru its lovely banks, and laughing 
with joy, reflected the moon and 
stars in its clear bosom; the bird 
sang with a softer melody — as tho’ 


88 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


it would blend its song with the 
prayer, and the shimmering moon- 
light, glorifying all, seemed straight 
from heaven. Franklin arose, and 
walking calmly away with new cour- 
age and power was soon at home 
asleep. 


CHAPTER VIL 

In the midst of trials, my brother. 
Yield thou not to dire dismay ; 
For angels will come to roll 
From thy grave the stone away. 

Back at his office the next morn- 
ing, Franklin Lenton found a pleas- 


89 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


ant surprise in the morning mail 
that lay on his desk. A letter from 
Violet. 

‘‘Dearest Franklin, I hope it will 
be an agreeable surprise for you to 
learn that I have broken my en- 
gagement to Barto Jamison. You 
will want to know the reason of my 
sudden engagement to this man — 
and the ‘why’ is simply this : It was 
in obedience to the request of my 
father — on account of Mr. Jamison’s 
having recently fallen heir to a 
small fortune. But yielding to my 
tears and protest, my father has 
done the right thing — has consent- 


90 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


ed that I might do my own choos- 
ing. I did not love Mr. Jamison 
sufficiently to become his wife, or 
ever to be happy in his keeping. 
Hence our broken engagement. I 
am now free as a song-bird and ful- 
ly as light-hearted. I have not for- 
gotten that you love me nor for a 
moment ceased to admire your no- 
ble character, and if I have caused 
you pain, I pray to be forgiven. Ee- 
cently I have felt as if some great 
unseen power were drawing me to 
you, and I must now confess that 
you are my highest ideal of a gen- 
tleman — a strong and noble man. 

91 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


You will still find a welcome in our 
home, just as in the golden past. 
Father fully agrees with me now, 
that money cannot buy happiness — 
that only true love, intelligence and 
congeniality can make life worth 
the living. Come to see us, Frank- 
lin, when you can, and write soon to 
Yours lovingly, 

Violet. 

When Franklin had finished read- 
ing the letter he was in such a state 
of pleasureable excitement as to be 
unable to read his other mail, so 
telling his brunette stenographer to 
open and answer his business let- 


92 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


ters he took a whole hour off’^ for 
rejoicing. His heart heat high with 
hope and happiness and thrilled 
with the fine courage of youth. Then 
he would surprise her greatly when 
she became ‘‘Mrs. Violet — Franklin 
Lenton’’ — for she was really una- 
ware of his business success — and 
the snug fortune he had acquired. 
When he had become sufficiently 
calm he wrote her a long letter — 
asking her to he his wife. Within 
a few days the sun was again shin- 
ing full orbed, the birds were sing- 
ing and he was happy in hope. 
“June’s my lucky month,” thought 


93 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


Franklin — for he remembered the 
two beantifnl Junes when he had 
met Violet at Mammoth Cave, and 
now he chose June for their wed- 
ding at Violet’s home at Bowling 
Green. A few visits and a few more 
letters passed between them; the 
time set was mutually agreeable — 
and all arrangements were made. 


CHAPTEE VIII. 

Violet awoke with a start at be- 
holding the bright sunshine and the 
soft, purple glow of a June morn- 
ing. All night she had traveled the 


94 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


white way of visions and dreams — 
for it was the night before her wed- 
ding-day. For a few moments she 
lay quite still, her eyes closed and 
her heart gravely tender. The mys- 
terious unknown is coming upon 
her and she waits, quiescent, under 
the new sentiment. Thru the open 
window comes the early chatter of 
birds. As never before she knows 
just why they are singing, and why 
the earth glows green, and why the 
corner of the sky from her window 
is so blue. For some reason. Gran- 
ny thought it would rain ; but it did 
not — for it is her wedding day. 


95 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


Violet turns lier eyes to her moth- 
er’s face, but finds her still asleep. 
Somehow, Violet is glad of it — for 
she wants to have this perfect wak- 
ing cixx to nerself. The day is Vio- 
let’s, set apart and separate. Tho’ 
the family may share it, feel its 
thrills — only for two — ^him and her, 
shall it be complete. Love, after all, 
opens the Gate Beautiful ! and hea- 
ven stoops to kiss the common 
earth. And yet, in her musing, Vio- 
let wishes that mother would wake 
and say something tenderly sweet 
to her, something about its being 
the last time together as an un- 
96 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


broken circle — and the like. It is 
the last time for so many things! 
A little lump comes into her throat 
and she closes her eyes quickly, the 
lashes lie wet on her cheeks. The 
last time to wake in this sunny, 
flower-decked room, with the things 
in it so familiar to her ; her parents ’ 
picture, her own picture taken in 
early girlhood; the Gibson Girl by 
the window — and Franklin’s photo- 
graph that mother is going to keep. 
Violet sits up in bed, quietly so as 
not to wake the dear mother, who 
had slipped into her room to sleep 
with her on this, her last night at 


97 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


home. Then pushing the hair back 
from her eyes she gets out of bed 
very softly, goes to the window — 
and looks out upon the green lawn, 
the gray sky and the nodding flow- 
ers. She falls upon her knees in 
prayer, whispering something about 
mother and father, and Franklin 
and herself and their future. She 
does not say ‘‘amen,’’ for the day is 
not ended — and the whole day is to 
be a prayer, partly unuttered, but, 
nevertheless, a prayer, of gratitude 
for the bringing of two loving 
hearts into perfect oneness. The 
day fades in Violet’s vision into one 


98 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


of witchery and wonderful cere- 
mony, and she wonders whether her 
mother will smile or cry. Now the 
mother wakes: ^‘Dear, are you 
upT^ Violet does not answer, but 
goes to the bed and kisses the famil- 
iar face. ‘^Mother,’’ she whispers, 
‘‘it’s not raining!” And mother 
smiles and pats the girl’s shoulder. 
“No, Violet, my little girl will not 
begin with shadows. Are you rest- 
ed, dear?” She nods affirmatively, 
and then buries her head on the 
shoulder of her best friend on 
earth — that mother with wrinkles 
and silver hair. Oh, that dear 
99 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


home, to be hers no longer! The 
mother perhaps feels something of 
it, too, for she is holding Violet 
close to her bosom. But presently 
she rises and says cheerfully: ‘‘Vio- 
let, darling, donT linger, the florist 
is to be here at nine. ’ ’ Violet kissed 
her again, for no other reason save 
that it is just mother. Violet is 
soon dressed for breakfast, and 
ready to go down stairs — ^but stands 
a moment at the door to look back 
at mother who is so much a part of 
this rose-decked room — and the 
things in it to which she must say 
good bye! Violet calls the name of 
100 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


mother again — softly, and the re- 
sponse is so tender: ‘^0, Violet, 
dear, how I shall miss you!’^ As 
Violet runs quickly down the stairs 
there is a warm glow still about her 
heart. 

The florist is there, and the two 
parlors are white with daisies and 
green with fern and glowing with 
Golden-Gate roses. The bay win- 
dow at the end is a leafy bower, and 
tropic palms stand high above her 
head. Violet ties the bow herself 
that will shut her and Franklin in- 
side, and admires the white and 
green standards that will form the 

101 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


aisle. She is so glad the parlors 
are Dig enough, and that this dear 
home is to see it all straight thru 
to the end; for there needs be no 
white altar but the altar of home, 
and this four-walled sanctuary that 
has sheltered all the long — and yet 
very short, beautiful years of her 
girlhood, shall give her at last into 
the keeping of another — a strong, 
true man whose loving care shall be 
hers always. But now, Franklin 
seems to be Violet’s last thought, 
for she is thinking, somehow, less 
often of him than of the things she 
is leaving — and perhaps it should 


102 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


be SO, for all tbe days and years to 
come will be full of him — ^but this 
one last day for home ! They have 
lunch now, and all the time Violet 
is wandering in the garden of the 
gods — it is growing so near now, the 
beautiful thing that is to come! 
Now the bride-to-be is approached 
by the father: Violet,’^ he says 
gravely, ‘‘your mother and I have 
a gift for you — we hope that you 
will be as happy” — ^he pauses to 
clear his throat — “as happy, you 
and Franklin, as we have been.” 
He has thrust something, a paper, 
into her hand; she doesnT know 
103 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


whether it’s a check for a hundred 
or a thousand, and she hardly cares. 
Whatever it is, it is the measure of 
their loving sacrifice. Thru a sud- 
den mist she seeks the father’s face, 
but he has his eyes now upon the 
mother — the old, forgotten bride - 
look comes back to the mother’s 
eyes. This Violet observes closely. 
They are going back to that day 
which meant for them what this day 
means to their only daughter. 

^‘0, father! it’s so sweet of you!” 
cries Violet, and passes on into her 
room — to dry her eyes. Like a trio 
of June roses that grew together 


104 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


upon the same stem, one will soon 
be plucked in its native sweetness, 
separated and borne away — not to 
wither, but to bloom even more 
sweetly in a new home. The Gate 
of Girlhood is still open, but already 
in anticipation Violet is on the other 
side of it, and in a short time it will 
close ! 

The hour has struck and all are in 
the flower-strewn parlor, ready for 
the beautiful event of a life-time. 
Violet is trembling, and feels sure 
she is pale, but a father’s strong 
arm is around her shoulders — and 
she feels just a little girl once more. 


105 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


In the bay window sits the minister 
— looking so solemn — ^waiting. Con- 
spicuous in the group, is a tall, 
handsome young man, in a new suit, 
and wearing a white bow and a 
white rose — for it^s Violet’s flower, 
and his eyes are steadily upon the 
bride-to-be. Of course it is Frank- 
lin. Violet’s eyes, for a moment, 
travel over a sea of friendly faces — 
and suddenly, they rest upon the 
mother. She is smiling at Violet, 
the old, mother-smile known so well. 
The girl sends a wavering little 
smile back at her, as she used to do 
when she was a little girl going off 


106 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


to school. Now Violet stands clear- 
eyed and beantifnl at Franklin’s 
side — now her hand is in his, before 
the minister. Together, Franklin 
and Violet repeat as little children, 
all the minister tells them, bnt of it 
all, one line sings itself over and 
over in her consciousness, because 
it’s God’s law and their hearts are 
in it : ^ ‘ Till death do us part ! ” It 
is still sounding its sacred note 
when Violet turns, smiling, the ring 
upon her finger, to meet them all — 
these persons who have known her 
all the years of her girlhood — and 
Violet knows that just two things 


107 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


will stand out forever from this 
wonderful wedding day, lasting 
thru the years, and making it real 
and present to her — those words 
and her mother kiss ! The rest of 
it seems all a dream, a dream of 
June — of life’s gay living and the 
heart’s glad giving. 

Somebody calls — “The carriage 
is waiting” — and Violet puts her 
little gloved hand into everybody’s 
hand, and kisses many of them — 
the ones she loves the best — twice. 
Last of all, she comes to the father 
and mother. Both of them have her 
at one time, and suddenly she feels 


108 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


that she doesn’t want to go away at 
all. She clings to them both, al- 
most desperately, while Franklin 
stands by, his face gravely troubled 
— and then, when Violet looks at her 
own Franklin, she realizes how good 
and noble he is, and how he too is 
giving up his boyhood home, and 
his mother and father, to travel 
with his little Violet out into the 
unknown and untried future — to 
work for her all the years of his 
life, to make them both satisfied and 
happy. 

Having made their way midst 
happy friends to the open carriage 


109 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


Franklin tenderly assists his beau- 
tiful bride into the coach, neither 
noting nor caring for the white rib 
bon tied to the harness, or the show- 
ers of rice. 

‘‘Good bye,’’ Violet whispers, 
‘ ‘ dear ones, all of you, good bye ’ ’ — 
and she leans far out, watching 
them and waving her damp little 
handkerchief, until they fade from 
view. Violet sits back, very still, 
neither crying nor sad; she only 
feels the wonder and the mystery 
and the strangeness of it all, and 
the grave beauty of the new fact — 
they are married! Floating thru 


110 


MAMMOTH CAVE ROMANCE 


the open coach is a damp sweetness 
from the green earth — and they 
hear the soft twitter of birds call- 
ing. Franklin leans down, very 
simply and tenderly, and kisses his 
own. 

^‘Violet,’’ he says, ‘‘do you hear 
the birds ? It is nesting time ! ^ ’ 

She knows what he means — for 
they are also beginning the building 
of a new life together, that shall he 
fair and fine and true! 

“Franklin, isn’t it beautiful,” 
she says sweetly, “isn’t it impress- 
ive and sacred — ‘til death do us 
part!’ ” 


THE END. 



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